[Ultrastructure of the myocardium in patients with cardiac pathology complicated by diabetes mellitus].

Myocardial ultrastructure of patients with diabetes mellitus and cardiomyopathy and those with coronary heart disease was practically similar. Alterations of the ultrastructural organization concerned mainly the mitochondria and structures responsible for the contraction. Disturbances of the microcirculation in diabetes were so much pronounced that the presence of the large arteries stenosis did not enhance the alterations in the cardiomyocytes: supply of oxygen and substrates to the working cells was severely changed because of the arteriolar spasm as well as capillaries obturation due to adhesion of blood cells to the endothelial lining and low level of micropinocytosis in the endotheliocytes.